D-Lo Brown talks financial state of TNA, the “Mass Transit” incident in ECW, working with Russo/Ferrara, more

D-Lo Brown talks financial state of TNA, the “Mass Transit” incident in ECW, working with Russo/Ferrara, Droz, Owen Hart, and more

Former WWE and TNA star, D-Lo Brown recently sat down with Steve and the Scum on WGD Weekly, discussing all points of his legendary career in a great 45 minute interview. D-Lo touched on his first interest in wrestling and all stops throughout his time spent in the business, right up to the present. The entire interview can be heard here:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z0DDnpL-RRQ

Highlights from the interview with D-Lo include him talking about:

His thoughts on the financial state of TNA and internet reports of their impending demise: “…I think TNA is going to be around as long as the Carter’s want it to be. That’s the most honest answer I can give you. Her parents own the company and they have a ton of money, so as long as they want to keep investing in it, that company will be around. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks or anyone feels, or what people suggest. They are going to run it the way they want to and as long as they want the company around, they are going to be here…I put no credit in unnamed sources. If you put something in print and you believe in it, out your name next to it and if not, don’t say it. I can guarantee you most of those, if not all of those unnamed sources aren’t sitting there and they don’t have knowledge of the day to day operations of that company. They are sitting on the outside and giving an opinion and their opinion is worth about as much they’d be willing to pay for it and that’s about two cents…”

The “Mass Transit” incident in ECW involving his long time friend, New Jack: “…Jack and I have talked about it. It was one of the craziest things I’ve ever heard of, it’s one of the craziest things he has ever been involved in. I think it was just someone who, in terms of whoever that kid was, he was just ill prepared to be in the situation he was in and he was just not prepared for the spot he was in. I don’t blame anyone, you know, stuff just happens. But, if he wasn’t in the ring, maybe it wouldn’t have happened…I’m not speaking ill of the dead, because the man is gone, but if he wasn’t there, it might not have happened. Here’s the way I look at it too, say you go to an NFL game and you’re sitting in the stands, then all of a sudden the coach looks up to you and says, hey, you want to try this? Then if you go run out on the field and you get your wig split, who’s fault is that if you are not prepared to play in the game? It’s not the guy who hit you’s fault, it’s your fault for putting yourself there, and I’ve had that same conversation with Jack…”

Working with the creative team of Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara during the Attitude Era: “…at the time, Vince was, I don’t think it was technically called creative, but he was the head of the writing committee, for lack of a better term. So, he was in charge of story lines, and he would bring you the idea for today’s show, and yes, I worked closely with Vince and Ed at that time. For some reason, Vince Russo was a big fan of mine. He liked the things I did in the ring and he enjoyed me being out there even though I wasn’t the top guy or the World Champion. Given the situation I was in he liked my role and that’s why they kept giving me more time with it. Man, it was so great to be out there enjoying that ride as the company went from getting defeated eighty something consecutive weeks during the Monday Night Wars to where it went. Russo and Ferrara were responsible for that and for me being part of that…I’m still friends with Russo today. I could call Vinny Ru today and shoot the proverbial spit, and just hang out with him anytime. He has always been a good friend to me and my family, and I owe him a lot.

His memories of working with the late Owen Hart: “…Owen was a guy that I considered myself very lucky to have spent just thirty seconds around, let alone a couple of years. One of the best guys, great family man, and in the ring, if people think that Bret Hart was a great worker, Owen Hart was one hundred times the worker of Bret. That’s just my opinion, maybe people agree with it, maybe they don’t, but I’ve seen them both up close, and to me, Owen was much better…”

The horrible career ending accident in the ring involving himself in a match with Droz: “…It was a really down part, not only of my career, but of my life. My career, professionally, not winning and losing, but just me, was never the same. I played competitive sports my whole life and I’ve seen injuries and I’ve seen severe injury, but I’d never been part of one and it was in Nassau Long Island Coliseum and I can remember it like it’s happening right now. We did the running powerbomb, something we’d done a thousand times leading up to that. Honestly, we had done it on every house show for at least a month before that, at least twice a night and on that night, he and I have talked about it, we just don’t know what happened. Still to this day, I have no clue and if I try to think about it, it will drive me crazy. I just remember standing there and looking at him after it happened, and going, ‘man, come on dog, just get up.’ When he didn’t, we went to the back and went off to the hospital, I was sitting at the hospital all night…I didn’t want to leave, but we had a show the next night in Trenton. I remember I was riding with Kane, and Jim Ross gave me a call and said, “come on, you got to go to work.” That had to be the worst match of my life, that next night in Trenton. So, then I went home, the loop was over, and literally, I went home and quit,I retired, I was done. Luckily once again, it was Jim Ross who called me…he talked me about competitive sports and you know, things happen. He said, ” it’s bad enough one career has come to an end, let’s not make it more of a tragedy and have two careers come to an end…”

In addition to talking with Steve and the Scum in further detail on each of these topics, D-Lo also discussed his becoming a fan of the business at a young age, him and his friends renting out time with a ring at Larry Sharpe’s Monster Factory, working briefly under his real name as WWF enhancement talent in the mid 1990’s, going to Smoky Mountain Wrestling and working for Jim Cornette, his time working with the Gangstas in SMW, his thoughts on SMW being the first ever “developmental” territory, nearly being one of the “gimmick” talents for WWF in 1995, getting his break to work full time for WWF and debuting on Shotgun Saturday Night, being a member of the Nation and working with Ron Simmons, seeing the Rock blossom into a huge star, a “high speed food fight” between himself, the Rock, Mark Henry, and Brian Christopher on the highway at 80 mph, his feud with X Pac over the European title, the racially charged “Thuggin and Buggin angle with Teddy Long as his manager, working in the early days of TNA as opposed to when he returned years later to the company, his thoughts on several Attitude era legends including Steve Austin, the Undertaker, Triple H, and Vince McMahon, plus so much more…

WGD Weekly with Steve and the Scum interviews a different legend from “Wrestling’s Glory Days” every week as a part of their show. You can find all of their previous shows and get updates and information on upcoming programming on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WGDWeekly or on Twitter @WGDWeekly. All shows are available on their YouTube channel and on iTunes.